Card-index.



W. J. LOWDER. CARD INDEX. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3. 1910.

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Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

W. J. LOWDEIL.

' CARD INDEX. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 3, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

upon which is plac whic UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. BABB, 0F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARD-INDEX.

Specification of Letters latentL Application filed June 3, 1910. Serial No. 564,899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER J. Lownnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Somerville, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Card-Indexes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relatw, to a card index and its object is to provide a device of this character constructed in such a way that the desired record card may be readily and instantly located.

The invention comprises among its essential features :First, a main series of record cards cut away at one of their upper corners progressively so that the uncut portions overlap in such a manner as to present an exposed space upon. each card and upon these exposed spaces the difierent specific indicia are placed which identify the subject matter of the cards; second, a subseries of record cards cut away at their upper corners (opposite to the cut-away upper corners of the main series) progressivelyso that the uncut portions overlap in such a manner as to resent an exposed s ace upon each card an upon these expose spaces different indicia, subspeci-fic to the indicium of one of the record cards of the main series, are placed which identify the subject matter of the sub-series cards; and, third, a guide card for each series of record cards, the said guide card being provided at its u per edge with a tag a generic indicium, and the said guide card being also provided alon its upper edge with a series of spaces aline respectively with the exposed spaces of the record cards and these spaces upon the guide card bear indicia corresponding to, or indicative of, the respective indicia of the record cards. When the cards are thus constructed and assembled instant reference may be made to any desired record card of the main series because the indicia of the-main series of record cards will be found drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawings represent preferred forms of the invention.

Figure 1 of the drawing illustrates in perspective a stack of main record and guide cards, two guide cards bein shown with their corresponding series of main record cards; Fig. 2 similarly illustrates a main series of record cards, a sub-series of record cards, together with a guide card.

The guide cards are of the usual form and in Fig. 1 two are indicated at A and B, respectively. Each guide card is provided with a tag C and D, respectively, projecting from the upper edge in the usual way. The tag of the guide card bears a generic i11- dicium to which the indicia on the series of record cards following the guide card are specific. What these indicia shall be depends, of course, upon the use to which the index is to be put. In the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 the index is arranged for names of persons. Hence, the guide cards are shown as provided on their tags with some generic naineBro\vn being shown on the tag of the guide card A, and Cohen upon the tag of the guide card B. In other words, the record cards behind the guide card Brown will bear the names of persons whose surname is Brown.

The record cards are shown in two main series, one for each of 'the two guide cards illustrated. In the case of each series the upper right hand corner of each guide card has a rectangular section cut away leaving an uncut upwardly-projecting portion E. The cut-away portions are progressively shortened in a horizontal direction so that the uncutportions E E overlap each other leaving vertically-arranged exposed spaces. Upon these spaces are placed the specific indicia which identify the subject matter of the record cards. In Fig. 1 in the first series of record cards these indicia are shown as Christian names of persons whose surname is Brown and'appear as Arthur, Benjamin, Charles, etc.

The guide cards in addition along their upper edges are provided with spaces F, F F etc., and these spaces are arranged in alinement with the exposed spaces of the main series of record cards behind the guide card. For example, the space F is in alinement with the exposed space bearing the 'WAILTER J. LOWDER, 0F SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO.

main series of record cards; that is, Bra

* guide card bear indicia ofth e Christian names on the record cards;

that'is,"-A a'ppears in the space F.

for Arthur, B in the space F for Benjamin, C in the space F for Charles, and so on.

In Fig. l the guide card is shown as arranged with two indicia, the upper one being the alphabet and the lower one the days of the month, these being characters which are very frequently used, but it is obvious that any desired indicia may be placed on the guide card according to the subject matter of the record cards.

It will thus be seen that the subject matter of any desired record card may be readily and instantly obtained by the selection of the desired card without searching for the particular card or running over the series of cards to find it. Suppose, for a concrete example, the record cards bear accounts and it is desi'red to locate the account of George Brown. The guide card bearing the name Brown will catch the eye by reason of its projecting tag and the searcher can then place his thumb upon the letter G at the top of the guide card and uponsliding directly back it will fall upon the pro ecting exposed space of the proper record card bearing the name George, so thatv the card is obtained instantly.

It is frequently desirable to subdivide the subject matter classified under the indicium of a main record card and for this purpose the construction illustrated in Fig. 2 is provided. In this construction the main series of recordcards is similar to that already described, save that the cards are cut away at their right hand upper corners only to a point-at about the middle of the series of cards.

In Fig. 2 the main series of record cards is shown as arranged for the surnames of persons, and the specific indicia are shown as Brace, Brackett Bradbury etc., all coming under some generic indicium, such as Br which appears upon the guide card illustrated. The guide card is constructed similar toy that shown in Fig. 1, and is providedalong its'upper edge with spaces arranged in alinement with the exposed spaces of the main series of record cards behind the guide card and these spaces, or some of them, bear indicia which correspond to, or indicate, the corresponding indicia on the record cards.

In Fig. 2 the indicia on the guide cards areshown as the first letter and the first vowel ofthe surname appearing upon the 'tively with the expose appears in the space alinement with Brace; Bre appears in the space in alinement with Breck; Bri in the space in alinement with 'Briggs and so on.

When the subject matter covered by any one of the main series of record cards is required to be subdivided, then a sub-series of record cards is employed, these cards beng entirely cut away at their right hand upper corners to a point about midway of the series, or a point in alinement with the point where the series of exposed spaces on the main series of record cards begins. At their upper left hand corners the sub-series of recor cards are cut away progressively toward the left in the same manner as the main series so that the uncut portions overlap each other, leaving vertically-arranged exposed spaces. Upon these s aces are placed sub-specific indicia whichi subject matter ofthe sub-series of record cards. In Fig.- 2 such asub-series of record cards is shown following the main record card bea the name Brown and the sub-specific mdicia are shown as the letters of the alphabet, A, B, C, etc. In the particular instance illustrated, and for convenience, the sub-series is divided into two parts, running from A to L and from M to Z, respectively'. A sub-series can be placed behind any card of the main series where it is desired to sub-divide the subject matter.

When the terms upper right and left hand have been used in describing this invention, it is to be understood that they are merely relative terms used for convenience as describing the opposite portions of the cards, for it. is obvious that the cutt' away of the upper right hand corners of the main series and the upper left hand corners of the sub-series is but one and a convenient way of securing the desired result. a

The uses to which the index embodying this invention may be put are very numerous and will be apparent from the foregoing descri tion and drawings.

Having fu ly described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A card index comprising, a series of record cards cut away at one of their upper corners progressively to present exposed spaces, the said spaces bearing difierent specific indicia, a guide card provided with a tagat its'upper edge bear a generic indicium and also provided a ong its upper edge with a series of s aces alining respecspaces of the record indicia correspon to,

the respectlve in 'cia cards and bear or indicative 2%, thereof.

2. A card index compris' a main series of record cards cut away at t eir right hand upper corners rogressively to present exposed spaces, t e said spaces bearing difof record cards cut away at their right hand upper corners progressively to present exposed spaces, the said spaces bearing different specific indicia, a sub-series of record cards cu t away at their left hand upper corners progressively to present exposed spaces, the said spaces bearing difierent sub-specific indicia, and a guide card provided with p a tag at its upper edge having a generic indicium and also provided along its upper edge with a series of spaces alining respectively with exposed spaces of the main series of record cards and bearing indieia corresponding to, or indicative of, the respective indicia thereof. y

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WALTER J. LOWDER.

Witnesses: v

' LEONA CHANDLER,

FREDERICK S. GBEENLEAF. 

